Health scare

Social phenomenon

A health scare can be broadly defined as a social phenomenon whereby the public at large comes to fear some threat to health, based on suppositions which are nearly always not well-founded.[1]

In 2009, an ABC News article listed "The Top 10 Health Scares of the Decade":[2] "Some of these threats turned out to be almost nonexistent. Others were arguably overblown. Some caused widespread harm." They listed the following scares:

  • Swine flu (H1N1)
  • Bisphenol A (BPA)
  • Lead paint on toys from China
  • Trans fats
  • Bird flu (H5N1)
  • Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)
  • Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
  • Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
  • Anthrax
  • Cell phones.[2]

See also

  • List of health scares
  • Health crisis
  • Aspartame controversy
  • Dental amalgam controversy
  • Thiomersal and vaccines
  • Water fluoridation controversy
  • COVID-19

References

  1. ^ Hooker C (January 2010). "Health scares: Professional priorities". Health (London). 14 (1): 3–21. doi:10.1177/1363459309341875. hdl:2123/12086. PMID 20051427. S2CID 21893028.
  2. ^ a b Brownstein, Joseph (7 December 2009). "The Top 10 Health Scares of the Decade". United States: ABC News. Some of these threats turned out to be almost nonexistent. Others were arguably overblown. Some caused widespread harm.